Parkdale News: Health Fair comes to Parkdale on April 23

The new Parkdale Health and Wellness Committee is hosting a free Health Fair for the Upper Valley community on Thursday, April 23 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Parkdale Elementary School.

Residents of all ages are welcome to come get their blood pressure and vital signs checked, learn about healthy cooking with diet and nutrition information, sign up for reverse 911 emergency calls, learn about the importance of smoke detectors, and much more.

Many agencies from around the Hood River Valley will be on hand to provide families with health related information.

Presenters are still being finalized, but will include A Kidz Dental Zone and The Hood River Health Department, providing information on immunizations, OHP and Wic, as well as Community Education opportunities for Parkdale.

The Health Fair was created to support the health and wellness of the entire Upper Valley Community.

If you are interested in presenting, or would like more information on the event, contact Alison Betzing at 541-370-5644.

Each year I write about the Lions Follies show in Hood River and the Upper Valley residents who help to make it a reality, but although both of those reasons are great, neither are the real reason you should buy tickets for the show.

One night before a performance last year, Doug Thompson, Executive Director of the Oregon Lions Sight and Foundation, told the cast a story about a young girl who was, at that moment, in Providence Memorial Hospital in Hood River.

He said she had just that day received a new hearing implant provided by the Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation, the foundation we were there to raise money for, which would allow her to finally hear.

As I felt a lump in my throat, I looked around at the cast and noticed I wasn’t the only one having a huge emotional response to the news.

Some of us wiped away a tear or two because in that moment, all of us understood that all our hard work and time put in for the show is worth it if we could help even just one little girl to hear again.

The Lions Follies show is the single largest fundraiser for the Lions Sight and Hearing Foundation in the state of Oregon, as the profit from performances is donated to the foundation.

We see that money at work in our community each year, when the Lions provide free vision testing to students at Parkdale Elementary, to spot any potential problems that may interfere with their ability to learn.

“(The Lions’) state of the art work conducting vision screening is our primary method for identifying early vision needs for children,” said Parkdale Principal Gus Hedberg. “In addition to the screening, the Lions Club often provides support for doctor’s exams and eye glasses.”

The Lions also provide sight and hearing help to anyone, of any age, if they need it, so I encourage everyone reading this to buy a ticket, or many, even if you can’t attend “Follies in the Ozarks,” a Ma and Pa Kettle story.

Performances are Friday and Saturday, April 10, 11, 17 and 18 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 12 at 2 p.m., with advance tickets available at McIsaac’s Market and Jim’s Market in Parkdale, Mid Valley market in Odell, and other locations in Hood River.

Along with the usual corny jokes, there are amazing vocals from country to classic rock in the show, and of course just a lot of good family fun.

My personal favorite is the 4-part “Seven Bridges Road,” with Andy Streich, Dave Tallman, Odell grower Mike Oates, and Follies newcomer John Stipen, who blend their voices so well they sound like The Eagles’ original.

We look forward to seeing you there!

The Parkdale Grange will serve their monthly breakfast open to the community this Sunday, April 12 from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Grange Hall on Clear Creek Road in Parkdale.

The Grange will also hold its annual Chuck Wagon Dinner fundraiser dinner on Blossom Weekend, April 18 and 19, from 11 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on both days.

Dinner is your choice of ham or steak, mashed potatoes and gravy, wieners and sauerkraut, many different salads, homemade desserts, and coffee, tea or punch for just $10 for adults, $5 for ages 5 to 12, and free for children 4 and under.

The Parkdale Garden Club will hold their annual fundraiser sale on Saturday, April 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Parkdale Grange Hall.

Plants, crafts, and baked items will all be for sale at the event.

Parkdale Elementary School students will present their annual spring music program event on Thursday, April 30 at 7 p.m. and parents, families and the community are invited to attend.

The western-themed event will feature traditional standards such as “Home on the Range,” “Five Little Cowboys,” “Git Along Little Doggies” and “Trail to Mexico.”

All students are required to attend and are asked to dress up as cowboys and cowgirls.